ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff
ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff is where Cynthia Barstow brings together natural products change-makers sharing their stories with younger generations, so together they can help make sense of what’s on our shelves. Along the way, they reveal how the choices we make — from food to fashion, beauty to beverages — impact our health, our wellness, and our planet.
ShelfSense: Stories Behind Our Stuff
From pasture to protein: TRUST Organic COWS
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Why can we trust organic cows? Cynthia sits down with Gary Hirshberg, Co-Founder and Chief Organic Optimist of Stonyfield Farm, alongside Gen Z voice Mari Averill, for a conversation that goes far beyond the dairy case. Gary shares the backstory behind Stonyfield—how a small, values-driven idea became a national brand by letting cows, farmers, and transparency shape relationships with consumers. Together, they explore why organic isn’t just a label, but a form of preventable healthcare—for our bodies, the land, and the people who steward it. Mari brings a next-generation lens, asking the questions today’s consumers care most about: trust, proof, and whether brands truly live their values. The result is an essential cross-generational dialogue about why organic supports farmers and the planet—and what it will take to earn, and keep, trust in the products on our shelves.